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Mike Napoli locked in at the plate since his return from DL with injured finger: 'It's 10 times better'

Mike Napoli

Boston Red Sox's Mike Napoli connects on a two-run double against the Cleveland Indians during the third inning of a baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Friday, June 13, 2014. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
(Charles Krupa)

BOSTON -- By the time June hits, the phrase, "nobody is 100 percent" might be as prevalent around a baseball locker room as chewing tobacco. Players fight through injuries, sometimes without a chance to let them heal.

Mike Napoli was trying to play through his, fighting through a dislocated finger he suffered on April 15. Swinging the bat with pain was one thing, but swinging without full strength was a killer. He hit .238 with two home runs over 29 games after hurting his finger.

He went on the 15-day disabled list and missed the minimum amount of time.

After a 2-for-3 performance in the Boston Red Sox's 10-3 win over the Cleveland Indians on Friday night, Napoli is 9-for-22 (.409) since his return.

"It bothers me a little bit but it’s 10 times better than what it was," Napoli said. "Just still getting my treatment and kind of got over that hump."

While the Red Sox's offense went quiet earlier in the week, scoring one run over three games in Baltimore, they broke out for 10 runs for the first time this season on Friday.

Not only has Napoli been hot, but the guy in front of him, David Ortiz, can now relax. Ortiz, who hit .200 while often being pitched around in Napoli's absence (he was intentionally walked four times in 14 games), has two home runs in the last seven games with Napoli hitting behind him.

"As soon as (Napoli) returned to the lineup, it not only lengthened it out, but it gave us another middle of the order presence, deep at-bats, extra-base potential," manager John Farrell said. "Tonight, seeing him go the other way, that’s when Mike is locked in pretty good. they made some good pitches on the outer part of the plate and they went with them and he’s in a pretty good place. but just overall, good offensive night all the way around.”

Said Napoli, "It's a good sign. It means I'm keeping that front shoulder in and staying through the ball. It’s a big part of my game. When I’m going right I’m hitting balls that way and feeling pretty good."